Impersonators target Telangana DGP on WhatsApp

Hyderabad: Taking impersonation to a new level, suspected Nigerian fraudsters used a photograph of the Telangana Director General of Police M Mahender Reddy on popular messaging platform WhatsApp and sent messages to a few persons asking them to transfer money for an emergency. The Hyderabad Cybercrime police, after receiving information on this from some persons, […]

Hyderabad: Taking impersonation to a new level, suspected Nigerian fraudsters used a photograph of the Telangana Director General of Police M Mahender Reddy on popular messaging platform WhatsApp and sent messages to a few persons asking them to transfer money for an emergency.

The Hyderabad Cybercrime police, after receiving information on this from some persons, registered a suo moto case and have started efforts to identify the offenders.

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“They used the picture of DGP as the display profile and sent messages to senior government officials and public representatives asking for money,” a senior Cybercrime official said.

The police have approached the WhatsApp management and got the number blocked permanently. Officials said the mobile phone number was registered in India but they suspect it was being used from Nigeria.

Further investigation is on.